Spotted
by potterology
Summary: Spotted: Lonely Boy and Queen Bee strolling through Central Park yesterday with not a care in the world. - Blair and Dan are getting closer, Jenny's got a plan and GG is... supportive? Dair. 4x11 and onwards. S5 never happened.
1. Blasts, Breakfast and Blair

_**1. Blasts, Breakfast and Blair**_

* * *

_Spotted: Lonely Boy and Queen Bee strolling through Central Park yesterday with not a care in the world. Could it be that our notorious enemies have called a détente or is it all a scheme to get C and S running into their waiting arms? Then again, maybe the princess _has_ fell for the pauper. Better watch your back, B. We'll be watching._

_XOXO, _

_Gossip Girl_

Serena frowned at the accompanying picture underneath the blast. Blair and Dan were sipping coffee on a park bench; the brunette laughing heartily at something 'Lonely Boy' had said that was clearly at his expense. It seemed innocent enough and if Serena had not been witness to many a Humphrey-Waldorf showdown then she would dismiss the picture as just evidence of a comfortable friendship. However, she knew better and a picture was worth a thousand words, especially this one. Closing her Sidekick, she barged through the door to her best friend's bedroom a little more brusquely than she had intended. The room was empty but in complete disarray. Clothes were strewn over the floor and furniture, four shoes - none of which matched - twinkled and shined from awkward places and a worn copy of _Catcher in the Rye_ lay at the foot of a pristinely made bed.

"Blair?" Serena said loudly, carefully edging through the mess. It was early morning - too early, if Serena was honest - and so B couldn't be in classes yet. She checked the closet that looked like it had been ransacked by frantic hands, the bathroom (toothpaste was flicked over the mirror and then some) and even under the bed, all of which resulted in an unsuccessful search. Serena frowned, the beginnings of worry creasing her forehead, and hastily dialled Blair's phone waiting for the patented, '_Waldorf'_ answer. She waited. And waited. And waited some more until finally, "_You've reached Blair Waldorf, please leave your name, number, reason for calling and I'll try to get back to you._"

"Blair, it's S. I'm at the penthouse, where are you? I'm worried. Call me," Serena snapped the phone shut, sighed and left the destroyed bedroom wondering where in the name of Prada her best friend had gone.

* * *

"You're wrong, Humphrey. Audrey is by far the better Hepburn," Blair said in her typical '_I'm smart, you're dumb_' tone, and sipped her orange juice as she flipped the newspaper to the society pages. Dan merely scoffed and added blueberries to the pancake mix he was whisking, occasionally popping one in his mouth just for something to chew. They had worked themselves into a routine over the summer.

She would come over bearing movies and popcorn and end up staying the night, mindful of Ben and his watchful eye; in the mornings when his roommate had left, Dan would make them pancakes before he went to class while she criticized his every word and so far it was working extraordinarily well. Dan and Blair were actually friends, finding they had more things in common than they did reasons to hate each other and while Dan was still certain she was girly evil, he also found her more the pleasant company. As it was, she now sat in true Waldorf style in a silk, green robe and chemise with her legs crossed and her hair pinned up, watching an already dressed Dan move around the kitchen with unconscious ease. He had offered her a set of his plaid pyjamas once and she had shot him a look that would have been just as appropriate had he suggested she roll around in manure. Emergency morning clothing calls to Dorota started shortly after.

"_Charade_ was good, but how can you deny _Philadelphia Story_?" They were discussing whom the better Hepburn was when paired with Cary Grant. She, of course, said Audrey whereas he had stuck by his guns with Katharine and so the ensuing debate.

"Oh please, at least Audrey can hold a movie on her own," said Blair, rolling her eyes as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. In lieu of replying, Dan set a plate of pancakes in front of her and refilled her orange juice. He set down his utensils and swung his bag over his shoulder, "I might have to cancel tonight." Blair frowned.

"Why?" she asked, merely curious and not at all feeling the tiniest bit rejected.

"Eric asked me to help him with a project for his science class. Don't cancel the reservations, I'll do my best to make it," said Dan. His bag hung haphazardly from his shoulder as he lightly kissed her cheek and exited the apartment, leaving her alone and a little puzzled. She pulled her plate towards her as her Blackberry buzzed next to her. _Serena._

Blair hit ignore and sprinkled some sugar onto her breakfast.


	2. Questions and Reservations

_**So, this is a lot longer than the previous chapter and I'm sure I make some mistakes in grammar and such. I wanted to say thank you for the overwhelming response I've received so far, it means so much so thank you! This is my first fanfic, so it means a great deal that you have all decided I don't suck and i really love writing Dair. So far it's a little slower moving but next chapter heats things up a little. This is just really feelings and how D/B might perceive each other.

* * *

2. Questions and Reservations**_

* * *

"I was worried, B. I thought you'd been robbed - have you seen your apartment?" Serena shook her head as she and Blair strolled down Madison Avenue. Blair, feeling guilty for ignoring her that morning, had called and suggested a best-friend all-day shopping trip. They currently had Blair's driver, Albert, trailing behind them holding several _La Perla, Barney's _and_ Saks_ bags and only barely managing to keep up. It also became apparent fairly quickly to Blair that her plan to drive Serena to distraction was not going to work. "Where were you anyway?" said the blonde as they ducked into _Bergdorf_.

"I was at the library," Blair said dismissively, trying to shake off Serena's questions. Serena only snorted - much to Blair's disgust - at her answer.

"Oh please, like you'd go anywhere near a public library. Are you seeing someone?" Serena pried further and froze at the deer-in-headlamps that was her best friend and while, of course, the brunette brushed it off like lint on her cashmere sweater, the atmosphere remained and Serena's loud gasp received a highly disapproving look from a nearby sales clerk.

"You _are_ seeing someone! Who is he? Is it Chuck? I knew it was only a matter time before he came to his senses, why are you guys keeping it such a se-" she was abruptly interrupted by a petite, pale hand clamping firmly over her running mouth. They stood in silence, looking very much like Givenchy's answer to Laurel and Hardy, until Blair slowly peeled her hand from her friend's face and straightened her cardigan in a flustered but dignified manner.

"I'm not seeing Chuck. He's still firmly denying that we're meant to be and slumming it with Raina," she said without making eye contact. A spiteful voice in the back of her head whispered '_he's not the only one slumming it_' but she refused to dwell on her delusional subconscious. Serena remained unconvinced.

"But you are seeing _someone_," she said bluntly. Blair bristled and huffed, inspecting a silky dress with an Eleanor Waldorf-trained eye.

"I am seeing someone but not in the way you think. We are simply friends, nothing less and certainly nothing more. Chuck and I may be on a temporary hiatus but I still have standards," she said, discarding the dress with flick of her wrist. The blonde was a little speechless; Blair had lot of friends and certainly a lot of acquaintances but the majority were female or underlings and none were spoke about with the same tone of affection like this mystery man had been. Her curiosity satisfied for the moment, Serena offered a wry smile and pulled Blair over to the Alexander McQueen dresses.

"You should bring him to the show tomorrow night!" Serena gushed as Blair fingered the fabric and rolled her eyes. She was not going to bring Humphrey to a fashion show! He would make an absolute fool of her and probably come dressed in plaid and besides, they had agreed to keep their arrangement a secret. Blair winced. '_Arrangement_'made their friendship seem like something dirty or sordid and that was, by far and wide, the complete opposite of what they were. For the first time in a long time, Blair could actually let her guard down and not have to worry that every word out her mouth would end up on Gossip Girl. She trusted Dan and that by itself was a prospect she had never thought possible.

"Whom will you be taking?" she asked, as if she didn't already know the answer. Ben would, of course, be accompanying Serena and the brunette could honestly not think of a better man for her friend. The ex-con had become an unlikely ally for Blair and Dan; he kept his distance from the two, didn't ask too many questions and he seemed to understand their desire for privacy when it came to telling people about their friendship. They had not figured out who they were and what they meant to each other yet, let alone trying to explain it to someone else even if that person was Serena or Nate or, heaven forbid, Chuck.

The two girls called it a day on shopping around five with Blair taking off to get ready for dinner with Dan - or her mystery man as far as Serena was concerned - and the blonde had a mountain of homework to get through for college anyway. Hurrying home - the penthouse, not the loft; she suddenly felt nauseas at having to make the distinction when she got into her limo - she rifled through her many shopping bags until she found the black Marc Jacobs Simone Solid Silk dress that Serena had spotted in Barney's and fumbled with her cell phone while applying some basic make-up. He picked up on the third ring.

"Hello, Waldorf," Dan said, a hint of amusement in his tone. Blair smirked in return, even though she knew he couldn't see it.

"Humphrey. I take it you aren't in the company of our younger Van der Woodsen?" she said, putting him on speakerphone in order to apply eyeliner.

"You are correct, my dear, and if I can hail a cab, I will shortly be en route to my apartment. Though with traffic this bad, it might be easier just to walk…" he said but trailed at the end which allowed a big enough gap for her to huff and snap her eye shadow closed.

"If you walk, you'll be late and we'll miss our reservations. A Voce waits for no one, no matter how fabulous I am. Where are you?" she said. She could picture him now on some sidewalk, pausing to consider his words and rubbing the back of his neck. She made a face and wondered when she had started imagining Humphrey doing anything.

"East 34th?" the words were barely out of his mouth before Blair had issued the order to stay where he was and that she and Albert were coming to pick him up and that he could change in the car. A part of Dan was thrilled that he didn't have to walk to Brooklyn and the other part of him was dreading what exactly it was that Blair was going to have him wear. He suppressed a shudder and made himself comfortable on a nearby stoop.

* * *

"Who's the girl?" Eric had asked the second Dan walked through the door to the Fifth Avenue apartment. Lily and Rufus were in the Hampton's visiting her mother and that had left the senior alone with Dan as his last resort for a homework buddy. Dan had clearly been more transparent than he had intended. "Cause whoever she is, you might want to be careful she doesn't get the wrong idea from Gossip Girl." Dan frowned at that.

"Why on earth would that happen?" he said, tossing a few of Eric's textbooks on the table.

"You haven't seen the latest blast? Kinda made it sound like you and Blair are up to something," the younger boy said, taking a large bite out an apple from the fruit bowl. "It's nothing really, just looked like you two were… I don't know, actually friends. Which is preposterous but still… Might want to watch your step when you're walking next to a Waldorf." And since then Dan hadn't been able to get the conversation out of his mind. Just what exactly did Eric mean when he had said to watch his step? Sure, Blair was a scheming pint size devil in disguise but she seemed calmer when they were alone, a little less reserved and a lot less caring about what other people thought of her. Though to her credit, she probably just didn't care what _he_ thought and he could give no reason why she should. They were friends - if that - so what did it matter if she let a few unladylike words slip? Was their friendship just some scam she had thought up to get back at Chuck or was it genuine interest in him? Two years ago, Dan would have had no problem in choosing the former but now he wasn't so sure.

A loud car horn pulled him from his musings and he raised his eyes to those of a determined and unimpressed Blair Waldorf, sitting much like she had that morning on his kitchen stool and wearing a look of derision at his current resting place. She was frowning through the open window of the limo backseat, waiting for him to get in and he did so, brushing himself off and grinning.

"You probably need a tetanus shot, you know that right?" she said in a disgusted tone as she thrust a plastic covered suit into his arms. "Still, I should at least be glad it's not Brooklyn." She shuddered at the thought and he chuckled as he examined the expensive looking suit. His laugh quickly dulled to a frown when she crossed her arms and stared at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked slowly. Blair huffed.

"Aren't you going to put it on? It's nearly six and there is no way I'm going to stop so you can change in some bathroom," she said, annoyed. After a few moments of grumbling and a sulky 'I've seen it before, Cabbage Patch', Dan changed quickly into the grey Armani suit and was subsequently pushed out of the limo with surprising force from one so small. The limo sped off and Blair slung a thin slip of material over his neck and began tying a complicated knot at his throat. It was growing darker but not enough for the street lamps to be making a difference and the almost perfect balance of light and dark framed the petite girl in an almost - dare he say it - romantic haze. The moment passed quickly and they ducked into the restaurant, the cooler air bringing Dan to his senses. Blair was not one he would categorize as 'romantic' though perhaps he could use the image for his next story.

He let himself be led, hand in hand with Blair, through the myriad of diners to a quiet table out of the way of the main body of the restaurant. The place was gorgeous and a little secluded though not noticeably so and as darkness fell candles were lit and the place looked even more incredible than it did in the light of day.

Dinner was casual, a non-event by Upper East Side standards. They talked about school and a professor in common and film and television and the future, but mostly they avoided the subject of Chuck and Serena. While they had ate plenty of meals together, all had been inside either his apartment or her penthouse and Dan could not help but be surprised at the public side of Blair. In the safe confines of his home, she ate somewhat sloppily, slurping at her martini (she refused to touch a beer) or sucking spaghetti through her lips like a five year old but in a five star Italian place, she ate with all the sophistication one would expect from a Waldorf. She quietly sipped at her wine and curled her fork around her pasta and dabbed gently at the corners of her mouth with her napkin, leaving barely a miniscule drop of sauce on the pristine white cloth. He wondered why he had never expected a difference; why he thought she did not interchange every aspect about herself depending on her surrounding or how much money her companion had.

He almost winced when he realised that she clearly had no qualms in being sloppy when he was around because he was just as bad, if not worse. But which was the real Blair?

"Are you going to the fashion show tomorrow night?" she asked, taking another sip of her wine, pushing her half eaten quadratti around her plate. Dan shrugged, now a touch indifferent to her than he had been a minute ago. She did not seem to notice.

"Serena invited me, but I'm not exactly Jenny when it comes to fashion," he said, stabbing at his ravioli. "You?" She offered him a soft smile that made him forget all about his earlier musings and he returned it with one of his own.

"My mother is dragging me. You should come. Serena is going to be there with Ben and I am no ones third wheel," she said adamantly. So typically Blair was her response that Dan could not help but grin wider.

"Well, in that case, I'm convinced!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. She laughed and shook her head, taking another forkful of pasta. He drained his glass and stood, "I'm going to the bathroom, I'll be right back," he almost moved to kiss her cheek but repressed the bizarre feeling just as quickly. They had said nothing of this new development, an experiment in closeness, but they both understood it was an indoors-only, breakfast goodbye thing. Not a dinner in public on the UES kind of thing.

Blair smiled at his retreating back, motioning to the waitress that they were done with their plates and for her to bring the check. A strange nausea had settled in her stomach somewhere in their conversation between Ezra Pound and the resurgence of their earlier better-Hepburn argument and she did not have to search very long for a reason for it. Despite the fact that he was still Cabbage Patch and she was still Blair Waldorf and they would never, ever be anything more than amicable acquaintances, tonight had felt strangely like a date would. However, it had none of the tense atmosphere that a date with Chuck possessed and the conversation was far more intellectual than anything Nate would ever be able to spit out, even if he memorized it from a script.

Dan was very good company if she were honest; he recognised her more obscure references to film and she, in turn, could appreciate his extensive literary knowledge. He matched her word for biting word in wit and it didn't hurt that he was not unbearable to look at. His face was kind and gentle, holding none of the malice that lingered on Chuck's cheekbones; Dan had a certain kind of grace about him that was merely covered by his awkward demeanour and hideous fashion sense. Her card was returned to her just as he returned, suit jacket unbuttoned and crooked smile in place.

"Miss me?" he asked as she stood, clutching her purse.

"Not a chance. In fact, I barely noticed you were gone," she said with no malice and a smile. He laughed softly as he held out his hand to her in true gentleman style and they left the restaurant, fingers intertwined until they stepped out into the cool New York air. The limo pulled up in front of them and a few minutes later they were speeding away in the direction of Brooklyn.


	3. Preamble

_**Wow! I'm still amazed at the response! 23 reviews! You guys are all awesome and thank you so much for the positive thoughts on the story :) Once again, a chapter of 'Preamble' (the title fits, no?) but it's good preamble. It's the kind of preamble that you build on. I'm going to stop saying preamble because it doesn't sound like word anymore in my head. Oh and all the places, things etc that I mention (like a store or a cafe) are all real places, you can Google them :) And so, with the disclaimer that I obviously won nothing, I will say AAAAGGNIORNGOGH£OING)(£$JTPIRFOWNEFGJWEKFMAP{KmASLKDJGPERJTNWER last night's episode was HELLA GOOD and I can't believe we have to wait till April now. So yeah, here's chapter three! :) (sorry it's so short btw) **_

_**xoxo, potterology **_

_**

* * *

3. Preamble**_

_While the B may stand for Brooklyn and Lonely Boy isn't quite so lonely anymore, they aren't the only ones finding comfort in another's arms. C and R seem to be heating up cause rumour has it, they're attending the Waldorf blowout tonight together; also in attendance are S and the Ex-Con and if the gossip I was sent this morning is anything to go on, we'll be in for a real show. _

_You know you love me,  
XOXO_

_Gossip Girl_

* * *

"It fits but it really doesn't feel like me," Dan said loudly from inside the changing rooms in Bergdorf's causing an exaggerated eye-roll from Blair, who subsequently barged through the curtain separating them with a huff.

"It doesn't matter what you feel Humphrey, it matters what you look like. And if you go to my mother's fashion show _looking_ like a lumberjack who only sleeps three hours a night then you will _feel_ like a jackass," she said angrily, or rather she attempted to inject anger into her voice but it came out with mild annoyance, bordering on affection. Without thinking, Blair began to undo the buttons of the tight, navy shirt as Dan stood stoically and avoided her gaze, suddenly too aware of the brunette in front of him.

An awkward silence cocooned the small changing booth as she slid the Armani shirt from his shoulders and draped it across the plastic hanger, reaching behind him to retrieve another. Only his eyes made any sort of movement, watching her dress him with a deliberate caution and familiarity. The pair had grown accustomed to this kind of affection; a knot in his tie, the zip on the back of her dress and occasionally, a belt buckle but there was something different this time. There was a charged atmosphere surrounding them that neither had noticed in his loft or in her room at the penthouse. As Blair finished buttoning the shirt, she stretched her fingers over the fabric just below his throat, smoothing out the wrinkle that was there. Their eyes met and for a second she could have sworn she felt him lean a little closer.

_I make them good girls go bad! I make them good girls go, good girls go bad!_

The sound of Blair's ringtone instantly broke their gaze and therefore the tension that ensued. Muttering a quick 'it's Serena', Blair stepped out of the changing room and answered with a sharp, "Hello?" She winced and nearly apologized.

"_Hey, B, just calling to see if you wanted to grab lunch?_" Serena said. Blair was not fooled; one wasn't a friend to Serena van der Woodsen for fifteen years without knowing fairly quickly when she was either upset or confused about something, particularly boys or _a_ boy in this case. Blair grinned as Dan stepped out of the changing room holding the navy shirt up and mouthing, 'this one?' She nodded and said, "Definitely."

"_Great! Well how about we meet at __D'Alsace in half an hour_?" Serena asked innocently. Dan frowned as Blair made a face and left to pay for the shirt, leaving her alone. The brunette grimaced but tried to sound enthusiastic as she said "Sure, sounds great, S! See you soon!" She hung up as Dan strolled towards her, bag in hand and grin in place.

"What was that?" he asked as they walked out into the crisp early-fall air of Manhattan. Blair shrugged as if the phone call had been nothing more important than a telemarketer, "Oh, you know, the usual. Serena is going to gut me like a fish on account of the Gossip Girl blasts about us. Nothing important," she smiled tightly as Dan looked appalled.

"Wait, Serena actually said that?" he said, astonished that something so violent could come out of the It-Girl.

"No, of course not, but she didn't have to. Serena Van der Woodsen is nothing if not transparent and she may as well have left me a death threat voice mail. Not that you would understand, Humphrey. You're not a girl."

Dan rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in mock prayer, "Thank you, God, for making me man," he finished his prayer and grinned at the brunette as she glared at him in return.

"That can be easily corrected, you know," she said, annoyed. Dan averted his eyes sheepishly in faux repent but the soft smirk on his lips gave him away, making Blair laugh before she checked her watch. She wasn't far from D'Alsace;if she hurried she could make it in time to have a pre-getting-bitched-out drink. She said goodbye to Dan, kissing him on the cheek, and muttered that she would see him tonight if she didn't get a chance to see him this afternoon. They parted with wave and she walked to the Café on 2nd.

* * *

Nate was speechless; quite literally, no words came to him to even begin to explain the scene before him, if it could even really be called a scene. There was no way that this could be happening, no way that out of all the people in all of New York that _this_ was falling on his doorstep. Nate closed his eyes for a second hoping that when he opened them, he would be alone; needless to say it didn't work and he could only stand out of the way as the last person he expected walked through his door, dumping luggage in his hallway and heading for his kitchen.

He ran a hand through his hair and swiped over his face. Gossip Girl had been right; it was going to be one hell of a night.

* * *

Serena sipped her drink quietly, her nerves beginning to creep up on her and watched as her best friend entered the quiet café. Deep down, the blonde knew to take anything on Gossip Girl with a pinch of salt but the nagging voice in the back of her head reminded her that the internet gossip queen had only ever told the facts and the rest was left to interpretation. As vicious as the blog was, it only posted the truth and that scared Serena more than anything.

Were Dan and Blair an item and if so, why had they kept it a secret? Serena could understand them wanting privacy and even maybe not wanting Chuck to find out but at the very least they could have told _her_ about it. It wasn't as if she was pining away after Dan, she had Ben. Of course a part of her would always love the boy from Brooklyn but not in the way she had and after all, they were legally brother and sister; incest, even step-incest, was a self-destruct button even Serena - the queen of wild-child self-destruction - refused to push. Blair sat down, asking a nearby waitress for a dry martini, and rested her hands on the table; the gesture was not lost on Serena. This was Blair's plausible deniability posture and in that short, tiny and unassuming movement, Serena knew. Dan and Blair meant something. Just how much they meant, Serena wasn't sure but she intended to find out.

So did Vanessa; who sat well with in earshot of the entire conversation, unnoticed and out of sight.

* * *

Chuck squeezed his fingers tight over the cell phone in his palm, white knuckling the small device until he heard the creak of plastic and motherboard. Anger began to swell in his gut; a hot ache of frustration and adrenaline that sped up his breathing and sent jitters down his legs and arms. He wanted to scream and yell or at least break his fist on Cabbage Patch's face. An intense hatred he had never felt for anyone but his uncle filled him from the floor and up. His brief conversation with a certain ex had sent the blood pumping to his brain, taking schemes and plans of destruction with it; Humphrey was not going to live long enough to regret screwing with Charles Bass.


	4. Game On

_**So, things heat up and you find out who Nate's mystery guest is. Once again, a huge thankyou to everyone who reviewed! You are wonderful. Also, a big shout out to the 48 people who put this story on their favourites and the 79 (WOW!) people who put it on story alert. You guys are all incredible and you make my day! Work has been kicking my ass but this chapter is the result of a very long, very stressful day of listening to whiny, bitchy musicians about their shitty instruments. (And I am a musician. And therefore it all becomes useless jabber to me.)**_

_**XOXO, potterology...**_

_**

* * *

4. Game On**_

_Spotted: C and R at the Ritz Diner - really, C, a diner? - getting a little more conversation, a lot less action. Sources report that R left in tears while C finished his Greek omelette. This break-up doesn't have anything to do with Not-So-Lonely Boy does it, C? _

_XOXO,_

_Gossip Girl

* * *

_

Blair swallowed hard at the livid look on Serena's face. "Say something, S, please. Are you mad?" The desperation in her tone didn't escape her and Blair would have instantly changed to a stronger voice but this was neither the time nor the place.

"I'm just a little taken aback, that's all. I thought you and Dan weren't even friends…" Serena said, more than a little shell-shocked. They had sat in the café for just over an hour as people came and went - she could have sworn she saw Vanessa leave in a hurry but decided she must have imagined it - and Blair had confessed that she might, perhaps, have feelings for one Dan Humphrey. The understatement of the century would have been if Serena said she was surprised but something about it rang true. She could see the similarities, why someone like Dan would be attractive to Blair, at the very least intellectually, and vice versa. They could discuss things like art and film and literature and actually be interested in what the other had to say, a feat that half the Upper East Side wouldn't be able to manage. Blair trusted Dan and Serena completely understood why. She had been there herself, once upon a time, and knew exactly the kind of allure the Brooklynite held.

"Really, it's just coffee and conversation but I think there might be something there. I don't know; it's killing me just to admit this. You know what, maybe I'm just making it up in my head. I miss Chuck and I'm projecting on to _Dan Humphrey_ of all people. I'm sure it's just a phase. Forget I said anything," Blair said in such a rush that most of her words jumbled together. Serena had to laugh, gripping onto Blair's hand lightly and smiling kindly.

"No, B, you're not projecting," she said softly. "I think you might actually have feelings for Dan, as crazy as it seems. You think he feels the same way?" she asked, leaning back in her chair and taking a sip of her orange juice. Blair shrugged, looking more than a little torn at the prospect of having feelings for someone who wore as much plaid as Dan did but nodded after a moment of consideration. "Then you should tell him how _you_ feel. Look, if there is one thing I know about Dan Humphrey, it's that he doesn't take anyone's feelings lightly and judging on what you have just told me, you won't be disappointed. Give it a shot, what's the worst that can happen?"

* * *

Rufus paused, watching his wife from across the room as she fixed her make-up in the tall, floor length mirror. There was something different about her tonight; not necessarily something bad, she just seemed in a world of her own. He knew that the fashion show - and therefore the after party - was the last thing she had on her mind in terms of importance, what with Ben's situation still without a solution and Serena's current anger carving a dent in her mothers heart and Rufus couldn't help but worry. Everything seemed to be piling up for her, one thing after another and he was waiting for the inevitable straw that would break the camels back: it was like watching a countdown on a bomb but never quite knowing if it would go off early.

"You're doing it again," she said lowly as she slipped on her dress, gesturing towards her zipper and pulling her hair over her shoulder and out of the way. He stood and crossed the room in three quick paces, letting his hands fall on her bare skin as he slid the metal fly upwards.

"I'm worried about you, that's all," he mumbled against her skin, pressing soft kisses to her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her waist. She looked down for a moment and when she looked back up, her eyes were blazing and staring into his with an incredible ferocity.

"I will not let Thorpe take away the only connection Charles has left with his father because of me. It's bad enough that my own daughter can barely look me in the eye, I can't stand to loose a son," she said bitterly. Tears blurred Lily's eyes and she swiped angrily at them, no longer able to look her husband in the eye. Rufus smiled kindly and kissed her temple, turning her in her arms.

"You're going to be fine. We're all going to be fine, Lil," he muttered, tugging her tightly against him as she willed the sobs in her body to die down and silently thanked whatever higher power there might be that she had had the good sense to marry the man in her arms.

* * *

_Party time and you need to get your game face on if you want to win B's affection once and for all. Yes, I am talking to both of you._

_XOXO,  
Gossip Girl

* * *

_

"I must say, Humphrey, you clean up good," Blair said appreciatively as she eyed Dan up and down. He had wisely chosen to wear the shirt he had bought earlier that day with an accompanying grey suit, resulting in a very successful combination. "You almost look worthy to be on the arm of a Waldorf." Dan pointed at himself in a 'who, me?' gesture extracting a quiet chuckle from the brunette. Her phone alarm buzzed just as he shrugged on his jacket.

"That's our cue. Shall we?" she asked as he helped her into her coat but his reply was halted in his throat as his hands touched her skin beneath the fabric and they both froze. They were suddenly too close, the lights were too dim and the apartment was far too invitingly empty. Dan drew shorter breaths and took a humongous leap of faith in his next action: he pressed a kiss to her neck. So short was the moment that it was almost cliché in its chasteness. When she did not immediately run away or hit him with her purse, he did it again and then again, each kiss a little closer to her lips than the one before it. He traced the pale column of her throat with his lips before turning her in his arms so that they were staring at each other.

He pulled her tightly to him and kissed her throat again, just below her pulse point. His lips found her jaw and he traced it slowly until, at a glacial pace, he kissed the corner of her mouth. His eyes flickered to hers to see how close he was to death but he need not have bothered: they were shut and Blair was breathing so shallowly that he wasn't sure she hadn't stopped. He leaned in closer, so close he could practically taste her tongue already. Their lips were only a hairsbreadth away-

_I make them good girls go bad! I make them good girls go, good girls go bad!_

The loud ring of Blair's cell broke the moment like a bucket of very cold, very rude water and the brunette opened her eyes, blinking in an almost comical manner. Had the situation not called for composure, Dan would have laughed at how doe-eyed and Bambi-looking she was. She fumbled with the phone for a few seconds - muttering curses that could make Chuck blush - before her fingers agreed to do as her brain requested.

"Hello…" the word was cracked and mumbled. Blair cleared her throat and tried again. "Hello, Blair Waldorf, who is this?" she said.

"_It's your mother, I'm just making sure you are on your way, dear_," Eleanor's voice brought Blair back into reality and she smiled.

"Of course, Dan and I are just about to leave," she replied, instantly regretting mentioning Humphrey because saying they were together out loud made it official: they would be attending the party as each others date. Blair made a face.

* * *

"You're sure about this?" Nate asked sceptically. Chuck had just informed him about Blair and Dan's 'relationship' - really it didn't sound like anything more than just friends - and the young Archibald couldn't help but wonder if perhaps there was something his friend wasn't telling him. "Who's your source? Don't say Gossip Girl because we all know she spins it to sound bad." Chuck pursed his lips for a moment in thought before relenting.

"Vanessa," he said, standing quickly to avoid the glare of surprise he was awarded with.

"_Vanessa_, Vanessa?" Nate exclaimed.

"No, Morgan Freeman-Vanessa. Yes, Vanessa!" Chuck scowled and Nate let out a low whistle.

"Wow. You sure it's good information then? You know how she is…" said Nate, deliberately leaving the sentence hanging.

"I'm aware of her previous actions, yes, but she has no cause to lie this time. Besides, why would she? I have no stake in her personal affairs," said the younger Bass, injecting a liberal amount of arrogance into his tone. Nate rolled his eyes at the typical statement.

"But she has stake in yours. I'll bet she's the one sending information to Gossip Girl, trying to stir it up, when they're probably doing nothing more than fighting about who gets to spend to time with Serena. Look, maybe you should just… Let it go for now and if, later on, there is something between them, you can cross that bridge when you come to it. Right now, I'd suggest finding Raina and grovelling like a bitch because you need a date and I have one," Nate said, sounding unusually wise and not at all pleased about his date. He stood, clapped Chuck on the shoulder and pulled on his sports coat as the voice of his unwanted guest filled the room.

"Ready to roll?" she asked innocently. Nate sighed heavily and revolved on the spot to face her.

"Lead the way, Little J."


	5. She Doesn't Look A Thing Like Jesus

_**STUFF HAPPENS. Yeah, this hasn't been looked over at all, so there's bound to be some massive mistakes. Forgive me? KTHANXBAI.**_

_**

* * *

5. She Doesn't Look a Thing Like Jesus**_

_A little less Nancy Drew and a lot more Veronica Mars; you go, J. _

_XOXO,  
Gossip Girl_

_

* * *

_

Jenny huffed. Her entrance had not made as big an impact as she had hoped, not even on Gossip Girl, but at the very least she had got Blair stunned. The two had not crossed paths since the catwalk but it had been worth it to see the shock and pain across the brunette's features. The fact that she had shown up with Nate on her arm was the icing on the cake; clearly, he had not told anyone that she was back and Gossip Girl was keeping surprisingly quiet lately. Idly, she wondered if the web rumourmonger was sick or if she was just bored with the Upper East Side lately. From across the room, Jenny spotted Chuck at the bar with a drink in his hand and she smirked: it was time for phase two.

"I need a favour," she said as she set her purse on the bar. She was half leaning on the bar rail but close enough to Chuck that he could smell her perfume; she smelled vaguely like Blair but three years ago. She lightly pressed her forefinger to the leg of his pants, closer to his groin than he thought necessary in a polite conversation.

"And what, exactly, do you need?" he said lowly. She smirked and looked away for a moment, the dim purple lights accenting her blonde hair and flawless skin.

"I believe that it is time that Blair learned that she is not Queen B anymore and you are precisely the man to do it," she said, meeting his solid gaze.

"Just what are you suggesting? Oh, and keep in mind Blair is the woman I love," Chuck replied, interested but unimpressed.

"Well, the woman you love is horizontal freak-dancing with my poorer, older brother so you might want to reconsider your tone. Besides," her voice shifted to a more evocative and far more suggestive octave, her finger travelling up that much higher and stroking the bunched fabric slightly. They were standing so close that he could feel her breasts through his shirt. "I can make it very worth your time. I want you to ask Blair to marry you. Right here, right now. She'll run, of course, because she's Blair and once I'm confident that she's alone… You and I can be alone." Chuck in inhaled deeply before nodding; he was still Chuck Bass and sex and scheming were always his favourite thing to do.

* * *

The way Serena kissed always set him in awe and Nate shuddered as her hands ran through the back of his hair, his own pushing the hem of her skirt up past her thighs. He had, by no means, intended for the night to come to this but Jenny - who he had told of his lingering feelings for the It-Girl - had convinced him to do something about it. _The worst she can say is no_. He moved his lips to the side of her neck as he pressed Serena tighter against the wall and moaned as she slipped her hand down the front of his slacks. In the back of his mind, he saluted Jenny for encouraging him to make a move.

The writhing couple were completely oblivious to the young blonde watching with the largest, self-satisfied grin known to man. Her plan was going perfectly; Nate and Serena were thoroughly distracted, Chuck was about to emotionally wreck Blair and Damien was en route to complete the whole thing. Closing the door silently behind her, Jenny ducked into an empty hallway, not far from the main ballroom and pulled out her cell phone. She quickly dialled Damien's number and he answered after a few rings.

"Just checking you're still keeping up your end of the bargain," she said conspiratorially. Damien sighed.

"_Of course. We'll be there in ten_," he replied. He sounded tired and Jenny cleared her throat, impatient with the drug dealer.

"Be here in five." She snapped her phone shut and stared at it for a moment. Tonight would be the ruin of Blair Waldorf, she was certain of it and Jenny would rule all. Well, maybe not _all_ but at least the Upper East Side and no one would question her strength again. Outrage bubbled up in her stomach at the memory of Blair's 'banishment': she had humiliated Jenny, estranged her from her family and made her look like some whore that Chuck had tossed around, just like she had probably done to countless others_. It's about time someone repaid the favour._

* * *

"You can't just show up and do this, Chuck! You do not get to ignore me and run off with Raina Thorpe and then suddenly just show up and tell me you want to marry me!" Blair shrieked as Chuck roughly wrapped his hand around her elbow, tugging her to him. She wrenched her arm out of his grasp a moment later, ignoring the hurt in his eyes and the flaring of his nostrils. Swiping angrily at the tears that were forming she met his gaze with equal ferocity. "Did it ever cross your mind that maybe… maybe I'm happier without you? That maybe I'm better off? I am so tired of the mind games, Chuck and really what are we without them? We tried it once before, remember, and it didn't work out so perhaps this time we should just… Stay that way. Stay broken up. Because I don't think I can do this anymore." She finished her speech and sped off, turning fast on her heel and damn near sprinting out into the ballroom, pushing through the bodies.

The music was loud, the shouts of exhilaration louder and everything - the walls, the ornaments and the people - was covered in a film of sweat, smoke and alcohol. Dan shouldered his way through the grinding crowd as he scanned the crowd for the short brunette who had made it her temporary life mission to avoid him. He was still furious at Jenny for showing up, unannounced and uninvited and he had not seen Blair since. He had searched practically everywhere, even in the bathrooms where it was not Blair but Naomi Campbell he had found, snorting cocaine off the edge of the sink. He made it through the dancefloor and, stumbling a little as he regained his balance and glad to be out of the suffocating press of bodies, he inhaled deeply. He began to think she had left and probably with Chuck.

It depressed him more than he really thought it should considering they were barely friends - not true, he reminded himself - and that really he shouldn't care about the whereabouts of someone that embodied everything he hated about New York - also not true, _anymore_. They had something: something intangible but real all the same, but he knew Blair probably better than anyone and he was certain that after his stupidity in the loft - kissing her, or rather parts of her - had scared her. She would do what she did best: run from the good things in pursuit of destruction because that was who she was. Perish the thought that she, Blair Waldorf and the Queen of Manhattan's elite, would be found slumming it with a pauper from Brooklyn. Dan scoffed and wondered why he thought she might have changed in the short time they had been friends. A glimpse of a pink lace caught the corner of his eye and he swivelled, seeing Blair slip from the crowd and towards a side room, probably a study. He waited a moment before he followed after her, slipping into the room practically unnoticed. She was crying.

He stepped forward quietly, his fingertips resting on her shoulder. He had barely touched her before she span around, slapping him hard across the face.

"Oh my god!" she exclaimed when her eyes rested on his - now red - face. "Dan, I'm so sorry, I thought you were Chuck!" she said as she rested her hands on his chest and he tried to grin through the pain that shot up and down his cheek, almost chuckling at her panic. Gingerly, he pressed his palm the burning handprint on his face and winced when pain radiated from the points of contact.

"It's fine. Actually, it is almost comforting - you meant to slap Chuck. No apology necessary," he said, grinning as she let out a wet giggle. It caught in her throat and his heart broke at the fresh tears that welled up in her eyes. "You guys have a fight?" he said lowly, resting a palm against her cheek, lightly pulling her chin up so she was forced to look at him.

"He… He said he loves me. That he wants me back and that… that he wants to marry me," she said quietly. Dan pursed his lips and nodded slowly. Of course Chuck would say that; months of no contact, sex-games with New Zealand chicks and basic emotional torture but face Chuck with a rumour that Blair _might_ be moving on - with Dan Humphrey no less - and suddenly he was Mr Marriage. Dan rested his hands on Blair's shoulders and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He leaned back and smiled. "You wanna get out of here? Go to the loft, watch a movie or something?" Blair sniffed wetly and nodded, letting out a soft laugh when Dan wrapped and arm around her and pulled her to him, spouting off about Katharine Hepburn.

* * *

Damien sucked on his cigarette once more before tossing the butt into the gutter, weighing the pros and the cons of his bargain with Jenny. The money she had promised him was substantial but it wasn't anything he didn't have; business was good and his trust fund was still coping, despite it being a little low. The sex could be good, he supposed, but he had Georgina and Laura and a thousand of other girls throwing themselves at him. As for status or power, Little J didn't exactly have the chops to back it up. However, after that little stunt of Waldorf's with the tulips, he was in a less than forgiving mood and that outweighed all of his complaints. Jack - or was it John? - shifted beside him and while a part of Damien regretted what he knew would happen when the brunette stepped out the door, he couldn't quite bring himself to call it off: every man has a price and a hundred thousand dollars was his. The door to the gallery opened and Blair, in all her pink and frilly wonder, stepped out but she was anything but alone. Damien frowned: Humphrey was with her. He could have sworn J said she would be alone. He thought about calling her to make sure if she still wanted to go through with the deal, what with her brother involved, but he shrugged it off. A deal was a deal after all.

Damien nodded towards Jack (or John) and watched as he stole into a dark alleyway and waited for the approaching couple, both oblivious to the dark figures. Humphrey said something that caused Blair to throw her head back, laughing, just as they came level with Damien's 'handyman'. Damien winced and slid into his limo but not before he glimpsed Blair being pulled back into the dark by her elaborate bun and Humphrey crumpling to the ground.

He dialled Jenny's number with shaking fingers, blocking out the yelps from across the street. "It's done," he said, not bothering to wait for a reply and tossing his phone across the car.

"The penthouse, Louis. Get us out of here," Damien muttered, trying not to let the burn of bile in his throat get to him.


	6. Prince Charming

_**I wrote this last night after the overwhelming response I received to the last chapter. So much Jenny hate! I love it! I've found my people! I hope this lives up to the expectations! Thanks again to every single person who has reviewed/story alerted/favourited/author alerted etc etc, you are amazing people and I feel so blessed that you have taken the time to care :) so this is chapter 6 :)  
**_

_EDIT as of **3-8-11 :** I hated this chapter so I've edited it and hopefully it's better. _

_**

* * *

6. Prince Charming**_

The hand came out of nowhere and Dan had no time to react to Blair being yanked into the dark before a fist pummelled into his stomach, knocking him to the ground. The air left his lungs as black dots danced across his vision; his head felt fuzzy and his attempts to stand failed, resulting in him staggering in Blair's direction with laboured grunts. He hadn't got very far when a foot pummelled itself into his ribcage, effectively dropkicking him and he tumbled heavily down the wet alleyway, soaking his clothes. A moment ago, Blair would have been in hysterics at the sight of him rolling around in the grit of the city - the irony would have slayed her - and she probably would have made some crack about it at least not being Brooklyn. He crawled on hands and knees to the dumpster and tried to right himself but a fist flew into his face and the feeling of his nose being broken wiped his mind clear.

Everything was suddenly very uncertain: where was he? _Who_ was he? His thoughts became non-sensical, all focusing on the pounding in his skull and he was blind and deaf to everything around him. Blood coated his face, his clothes and the ground beneath him; he couldn't think, he couldn't breath and he could barely make out his surroundings but when Blair's frantic yell cut through the air, Dan got tunnel vision. Ignoring his body's protests, he forced himself to his feet and charged at their attacker.

The fight, for all it's ferocity, was short: the two men collided, hit the ground and with almost no hesitation, Dan brought his fist back and hammered it as hard as he could into the other man's face. A knee caught the underside of his ribs and knocked the wind out of him for the second time that night but it only made the adrenaline in his system pump harder.

His fist caught the man's chin over and over again until someone shouting his name caught his attention and he looked up to see Chuck, with a horrified Jenny in his wake, running towards them. Dan's grip on his attacker's collar loosened just enough leeway for a fist to land squarely on his temple and blackness took him.

* * *

When Dan awoke, every cell in his body ached. It seemed clichéd to say - in his writer's mind at least - but it was the only word he could think of that quickly and accurately defined how his muscles felt. His mind was hazy and dulled, like he was experiencing everything three seconds after it happened. He thought in half time, taking twice as long to process a thought than he would have had he been in a functioning state of mind. The last thing he remembered was making some lame joke about his poor taste in Hepburns and then pain - lots of pain. He laid there, listening to the steady beep next to him, and wondered when the hell his life had become an episode of 90210. A soft, feminine voice interrupted his musings.

"…Be okay. I'll stay with him, Rufus, you should get some sleep anyway," a soft, female voice said gently. A rough grunt was her only reply and Dan cracked an eyelid to see who was comforting his dad; he was greeted with the sight of long blonde tresses and placed the voice as Serena. Dan waited for a moment, watching his ex-girlfriend move around the room in slow, short paces. She was staring intently at her cell phone, probably at Gossip Girl's latest blast and Dan wondered how long he'd been unconscious. He was obviously in a hospital bed but the fact that it was Serena and not Blair that was by his bedside worried him. Where was Waldorf? He opened his eyes and tried to wet his mouth but when he opened it to speak, nothing came out but a high-pitched groan. Had he been able to, he would have laughed at the comical jump Serena did.

"Oh god, Dan!" she said. She rushed to the side of his bed, enveloping him in a hug. He had almost forgot how good a Van der Woodsen hug was. He opened his mouth again and when his lungs refused to comply, Serena just smiled knowingly and nodded.

"Blair's fine, Chuck called the cops just as you passed out. They still don't know who attacked you. He was going to go after the guy but he didn't want to leave Blair alone. You did a good thing, Dan," she said the last part slowly and meaningfully. He smiled as much as he could with his lips so cracked and his jaw still so swollen. Serena placed a soft kiss on his forehead and rested her hand on his, smiling warmly at the relief in his eyes.

"How long?" he said quietly; he wasn't sure he could muster anything more than that cracked whisper.

"Just over two days. You hit your head pretty hard, apparently you have a brain in there and so the doctors were a little worried but you're okay. Your mom and dad were here and Jenny too. Vanessa and Nate stopped by last night and brought you some sour patch kids. Eleanor hasn't left the building since you were checked in," Serena replied gently in a knowing tone. Dan was stunned: Eleanor Waldorf was keeping tabs on _him_? He supposed it wasn't too outlandish, he had after all saved her daughter from what could have been a vicious attack, but he had not considered the possibility that she would want to thank him or stick around as support. He wondered how Blair was taking her mother's sudden interest in him; not well, probably. Serena chuckled at the bewildered look on his face and kissed his cheek once more before she stood.

"I'm going to make some phone calls; I promised your dad and my mom tha I'd let them know when you woke up. I'll be right back, yell if you need something." She turned on her heel and left a very confused but comforted Dan Humphrey alone in his hospital bed.

* * *

_While he may not be King C, he sure is Prince Charming: Lonely Boy came to the Queen's aide last night and saved the day. Well, what do you know, maybe the Brooklyn pauper will live up to the UES expectations. After all, nothing looks better on a man than black and blue. _

_XOXO,  
Gossip Girl_

_

* * *

_

Chuck was furious. In fact, _furious_ was an understatement: the understatement of the _year_. He paced the room, no sure whether he should tear the girl in front of him apart or just smack her around or to scream himself hoarse.

"What were you thinking? She could have died! Your brother nearly did!" he yelled, his hands balled into shaking fists. The blonde was clearly terrified but neither man could tell if she was more afraid of Chuck or of losing her brother.

"I don't know, I don't know! I just wanted to get back at her! I wanted her to feel humiliated, like I was!" she protested adamantly, choking on the sobs that wracked her small frame. Nate looked on practically impassively; he was angry that Jenny had manipulated him, made him an unknowing participant in her grand scheme because it made him question her advice concerning Serena. It made him question Serena's part in their indiscretion because the tiny blonde could have encouraged her too, so who knew what feelings were real and what were machinations of Little J. Nate grimaced at the slimy, dirty feeling of being used in a plot of a vapid and bitter little girl that flooded him; he had thought for sure that high school scams were a part of his past. He was reminded of Blair in the not so distant past but he couldn't remember a time when someone nearly died for one of Blair's schemes. Anyone who was a target of Blair's were, of course, hurt but it was an emotional hurt meant to scar on the inside. Blair had never let it get physical - at least not in the kind that left bruises and a broken nose.

"Do _not_ play dumb with me, Jennifer, it's very unbecoming of a lady," Chuck snarled. The two boys had agreed that they should perhaps keep Jenny's plot to themselves, at least for the time being until they had the facts straight and once the dust settled on the attack, they would tell Dan and Blair. Chuck had raised a few concerns with the plan but Nate veto'd his idea of beating the blonde highlights out of her and throwing her to Gossip Girl. "Time to come clean, J. We all know that you don't have the chops to approach actual criminals, so who did you have do your dirty work? And don't think about not telling me because I have fewer scruples when it comes to torture than Archibald. So spill, who's your inside man?"

The interrogation was over quickly and it ended with Nate and Chuck storming out of the penthouse - after locking Jenny in the bathroom, of course - in matching fits of rage and one name on their lips.

Damien Dalgaard.


	7. You Jump, I Jump

_**Holy shit, it's been a year. Firstly, I am eternally sorry. I didn't mean to unintentionally abandon this story, but canon has made it so freaking hard to muster any kind of enthusiasm for Gossip Girl lately. So, on to my excuses: Work, all my friends abandoned me and won't take my calls, had a cancer scare (I'm fine), went on vacation, applied to a college. So there it is, my life in a year. Me hopes you like this chapter! More to come! :) xoxo**_

* * *

**_7. You Jump, I Jump_**

_They say it takes a village, but I'm willing to bet that in Lonely Boy's case, he'll get by on B vitamins alone. _

_XOXO,  
Gossip Girl_

* * *

Serena Van der Woodsen liked to think of herself as a somewhat patient person, who let others come around in their own time. However, as she listened to Blair Waldorf hem and haw about the dangers of Manhattan's cab companies, Serena couldn't help but want to put the girl in a headlock and drag her ass to the hospital. Ignoring her friend's protestations, Serena hailed a cab.

"You are crazy if you think-" Blair began as the cab pulled up, but Serena turned and silenced her with a glare and a short, "Get in the damn cab." Shocked at Serena's tone, Blair stepped swiftly into the cab, but not without cringing as she did so. Serena rolled her eyes to the heavens and prayed that traffic would be merciful. It was, as it turned out, and the two women arrived at New York West with time to spare before visiting hours. Eleanor, upon seeing their arrival, rushed to engulf the two in a hug, squeezing Blair just a little bit more than usual. Serena smiled at Rufus, who awkwardly gestured to the three cups of coffee he was holding through way of an apology. Her mother and Eric were both standing behind him, both on their phones.

"How is he?" Blair asked, attempting to sound nonchalant, though it was obvious by the tension in her body that she was anything but relaxed about all of this. Rufus smiled warmly, and for a moment Serena could have easily thought that in a different location, he might be welcoming Blair into his home. "He's fine," Rufus replied. "A little bleeding into the brain, nothing the docs couldn't handle."

"Bleeding into his brain? I've watched enough Greys Anatomy to know that is more than just a bump on the head!" Blair's movements got more and more frantic as she talked, her voice getting gradually louder and her breathing heavier. Recognising a panic attack in the making, Eleanor reached out and placed a delicate hand on her daughter's shoulder, a fond smile gracing her face. Rufus nodded slowly.

"You're right, but it wasn't serious. More like a bruise, really, he'll be fine. He woke up this morning, that's why we wanted you to come down. He asked for you." And it was then that Serena saw it: Rufus was looking at Blair in the same way that her mother looked at Dan when he realised what a good guy he was. It said 'I am thankful for you', and a tiny part of Serena felt extremely jealous of Blair right then. Rufus had never looked at her like that, had never believed her to be truly good for Dan, and that it was Blair, who had stated many a time that she wouldn't touch Dan Humphrey without a tetanus shot, that made Dan so happy and Rufus so proud. In the back of her mind, Serena had to wonder what their wedding invitations would look like… A doctor approached them, clipboard in hand and Blair tensed.

"Just letting you folks know that we're moving Daniel out the ICU and into regular recovery. We're going to keep him in here for a week or so, just to monitor him and ensure that he heals up correctly, but after that, he's all yours. You can see him now, he's on the fifth floor." The small group breathed a collective sigh of relief, but none of them louder than Blair, her eyes showing the tell tale signs of tears in the corners. Serena took her hand and squeezed gently, tugging her towards the elevator.

"He's fine, I'm just being silly…" she sniffed, laughing wetly at herself. Serena smiled, hoping Dan wouldn't mind the massive wedding Blair would most definitely want.

Dan was awake and yelling at the characters on some generic soap opera when they pushed into the room, Blair hanging somewhat shyly in the back. Eric snatched the remote of the bed and dropped into the massive armchair in the far corner, smirking at a mortified Dan. Lily, Serena and Eleanor both rushed forward to smother Dan in hugs and cheek kisses, while Rufus settled for a handshake. Finally it was down to Blair, who stood at the foot of his bed tapping the tip of her forefinger against the metal of the bed, studiously avoiding eye contact. He expected her to at least say hello, but she didn't. Lily, noticing the tension, asked him how he felt.

"Oh, fine. Hell of a headache but nothing this hospital pudding isn't taking care of. How's everything in the real world?" For the next hour or so, they told Dan about the investigation the police were launching into the attack, and how due to lack of witnesses and CCTV footage it was unfortunately possibly that whomever the perpetrators were, they were likely going to get away with it. They also told him about what the doctor said, and he high fived Eric at not having to stay for much longer. Serena made a joke about having to buy him a cape and mask; they all laughed except Blair. Noticing that the clock was running down on his visiting time, Dan asked tentatively, "Hey, guys, not to be rude, but can I have a moment alone with Blair?"

After a few unsure looks, they all nodded and left, leaving the two alone. For a few moments, neither said anything, and Dan was beginning to get increasingly frustrated. How could she have nothing to say? After all this time, after everything he had done for her, how could she just stand there and stare at her shoes? He had put himself in the hospital for her, had protected her against the wrath of Chuck and Louis not so long ago, never once complaining and never once failing. Did he really mean so little to her? In the back of his mind he heard her words echoing, _'I stupidly thought this fake friendship was real…' _He was about to tell her to just leave when she spoke.

"How could you be so stupid?" she asks, her voice low and her eyes on the ground. The question took him by surprise; startled he shook his tender head slightly, intentionally misunderstanding.

"Excuse me?" he said, gesturing with the hand that isn't broken. She raised her head at that, staring into his eyes with a fierce determination that directed at anybody else would shrivel souls.

"You heard me. How could you be so stupid? Do you have any idea how worried I was, how scared I was that you were going to die?" She shouted angrily, gesticulating wildly. If she wasn't crying in the elevator, she was now and in earnest, the way that makes your face scrunch together and go bright red. "You can't just do that!" She stormed around the bed to his side and hit him hard on the shoulder. "You can't-" She hit him again, but with her bag. "Just die-" Another muffled hit, tears streaming like a torrent down her cheeks and onto the bed and Dan. "On me, Dan, you can't… You can't!" She hit him one last time then collapsed onto him, her arms flung around his neck, crying loudly and messily into his neck. He almost laughed, but didn't for obvious reasons. Instead he pulled her onto the bed with him and after a few awkward change ups, they eventually settled with her tucked into his side, arms around each other. He kissed the top of her head softly as she whispered, "Don't ever die. Don't ever."

* * *

_Spotted: King C and Sir N on the warpath. That village I spoke about? Might need a city to help you out on this one, Little J._

_XOXO,  
Gossip Girl_


End file.
